1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless data communication utilizing at least two different networks and, more specifically, this disclosure pertains to the field of providing network access via a secure wireless connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some networks used for mobile device communications are facing increasing amounts of data traffic beyond available capacities. One possible remedy to this issue has been to offload and/or reroute data communications to existing Wi-Fi hotspots where a mobile device could detect a Wi-Fi access point (e.g., a publicly accessible wireless access point) at a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect to an available Wi-Fi network. However, communications between a mobile device and a Wi-Fi access point may not be secure (e.g., can be eavesdropped on or monitored by other devices). In the past, this created an issue for a possible user of the Wi-Fi access point at the Wi-Fi hotspot, if the Wi-Fi access point could not or did not offer over-the-air security in terms of a strong data encryption method as well as network authentication.
While one or more embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of an invention as defined by appended claims.